On To Mississippi

Barney Frank nails it: "It's the longest Hail Mary pass in the history of either football or Marys."

Pass incomplete.

Obama's going to Mississippi to debate an empty chair if need be: "Presidents are going to have to deal with more than one thing at a time. It's not necessary for us to think that we can do only one thing, and suspend everything else."

There's a basic law of physics here: Objects in motion stay in motion. This juggernaut of a campaign, the millions of volunteers and small donors, the media budgets lavished on it, a year of meticulous and fair planning by the national debate commission... no one man, not even a candidate, can stop that by unilateral fiat. I'm impressed by how quickly McCain's gambit crumbled in the course of two afternoon hours (and take back my previous statement that it didn't seem like a bad move).

Wow. Just, wow.

If this were chess, McCain would be in check right now.

What do y'all think he'll do now?

Update: You know what? The American people love this campaign! It's been - for better or worse - the media circus that has broken all records (just look at the highest-ever TV ratings for both conventions). When the coliseum is filled and the public chants for blood, you simply cannot be the buzzkill that walks out on the field and says "everybody go home now." No! Bring on the lions and the gladiators. McCain suddenly looks very weak, like Roberto Duran crying "no mas" while being pounded by Sugar Ray Leonard. Today may go down in history as the prelude to a landslide.

This is one of those "and I thought I'd seen it all" moments.

I love this campaign. What's not to love?

Update II: I can't resist putting my signature on this one-liner and must ask aloud: Does this mean Obama will be debating an empty rocking chair?